The Friends of Ringo Ishikawa
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| The Friends of Ringo Ishikawa | |
|---|---|
 Steam header | |
| Designer | Yeo |
| Engine | GameMaker Studio[1][2] |
| Platforms | Windows, macOS, Nintendo Switch, Xbox One |
| Release | May 17, 2018 (Win)[3] October 17, 2018 (Mac)[4] April 4, 2019 (Switch)[5] April 14, 2021 (Xbox One)[6][7] |
| Genre | Beat 'em up |
| Mode | Single-player |
The Friends of Ringo Ishikawa is a 2D side-scrolling beat 'em up developed by Yeo. It was released for Windows on May 17, 2018, ports for macOS, Nintendo Switch, and Xbox One followed later. The game forms a series called Existential Dilogy with the follow-up game Arrest of a Stone Buddha (2020).[8] Another similar game by the same developer, Fading Afternoon, was released in 2023.[9][10]
Gameplay
The Friends of Ringo Ishikawa is a story driven beat 'em up using 16-bit-style pixel art.[11] The game has a freeform structure where the player can decide what to do between story sequences. These include going to school and studying, reading at the library, working out at the gym, or beating rival gang members for cash.[11] The game's combat system draws influence from Konami's Kensei: Sacred Fist and Rockstar's Bully.[11]
Development
The Friends of Ringo Ishikawa was developed by one person from Moscow, Russia named Vadim Gilyazetdinov, better known by his handle Yeo.[12][2] All backgrounds in the game were made by Artem "Wedmak2" Belov and animations were made by Yeo's father who learned pixel art in his 60s especially for this occasion. The game started as a prototype developed for a local game jam in summer 2014.[13] The title is a reference to the 1973 film The Friends of Eddie Coyle.[14]